What does it mean to be
Italian? What is an Italian American? How did the Italian American culture evolve? In The Scattered Italians: Reflections
on a Heroic Journey, Thomas Gambino blends portions of Italy’s history with personal
experiences to present an informative look at the ties between the Italian past and Italian American present.

The history of Italy can be traced back to prehistoric times, when
numerous tribes had settled throughout the peninsula. Thomas gives a brief overview of Italy’s early history, mentioning
some of the more prominent tribes that fought against—and eventually became part of—the Roman Empire. He also
mentions the Roman strategy of allowing the defeated to continue to tend to their affairs, as long as they pledged their
allegiance to Rome. Thomas writes, “The overwhelming achievement of the Romans was their development of Western civilization.”
The glory of the Roman Empire, the battle tactics of Caesar, and the impact of the Catholic
Church are all part of Italian heritage.

“The fall of the
Roman Empire in the West (476 AD) was a major catastrophe for mankind. For all practical
purposes civilized society ceased to exist.” But from the rubble, Thomas asserts, the Romance languages evolved, and
so did the many dialects of Italian. He proceeds to the “next period of Italian graciousness and charm”—the
Renaissance; and provides a concise summary of the politics, philosophy, great men, and the rise of the Tuscan Italian language
during that era.

In describing the unification
of Italy, Thomas notes how the challenges of nineteenth century Italy help explain the problems facing the Italian American
community in the twenty-first century. “The unification of Italy
in 1861 was very much overdue, considering the peninsula’s over three thousand years of shared history. … She
remained divided and fragmented, oftentimes fighting fruitless wars internally. The discipline, conformity, obedience, and
controlled behavior necessary for union were lacking among the many independent duchies, principalities, and republics of
Italy. … The population and those
in authority did not think collectively, but rather, divisively. Spiritually, they were Italians, but not yet nationality.”

Knowing the answer, Thomas
asks, “What earthly reasons could there be for people to leave their known surroundings for the unknown? … Why
leave beautiful Italy?” His account
of the formation of the Mafia in Sicily, the mass emigration of Southern Italians to America, and the prejudices the Italian immigrants endured in America provides more testimony to the reasons for the detached Italian American
sociocultural climate of today.

From an area slightly
smaller than the size of Florida, the Italian immigrants descended upon America; many staying on the East Coast, but many others traveled to points north,
south, and west. Some immigrants brought their culture with them, and some left it behind. Thomas’ maternal grandfather—who
was 14 when he arrived in America—retained
his “Italian persona.”

“Italians are lively,
restless, and notoriously undisciplined, while totally enjoyable at the same time. They do well unsupervised, with little
direction, structure, or guidelines. They are master improvisers. Their chaos is strangely controlled. In their disorder,
there seems to be an unexplainable order. Plan B is their mantra. From this matrix, the Italian American personality evolved.”

In taking this journey
of discovery, Thomas realized the childhood influences of his grandfather. “As they [his cousins] were of second-generational
parents, they were more tuned into the contemporary American scene. They were of the now people and knew very little
of the Italian way, the traditional way. In contrast, my first-generational upbringing gave me a reactionary view of things,
more old school … They lived by the Anglo-American rules, while I either ignored them or invented my own all’italiana.”

Towards the end of the
book, Thomas offers more insight into the importance of ancestral roots and how knowing the language makes the cultural
bond more accessible. He relates incidents that have enriched his life and given him a better understanding of his heritage, leading
him to obtain dual citizenship. As others who study Italian American society know, he found that the Italian culture in America is in serious decline. He surmises, “To be sure,
there is an ongoing dilemma and loss of identity for the Italian Americans. … The entire issue of who we are as a people
has been discounted.”

The Scattered Italians:
Reflections on a Heroic Journey is one part history and one part journal, and includes an annotated timeline, a glossary
of Roman adages, and some sample words derived from Latin. It’s a story about an Italian American seeking to know more
about himself, and discovering that looking into the past gave him a better foundation for his future.

The book is available
though online bookstores and from the publisher through the link below.

The Scattered Italians:
Reflections on a Heroic Journey is a quick read, yet, it will make readers slow down and think about their ancestral
land, the journey of the Italian immigrants, and the influence of Italian culture, not only on their lives, but in society
today.

“ … it
is better to have been Italian at least in part of one’s life than never to have been Italian at all.”